Creamy Salmon Lemon Pasta

Method9 steps · about 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Check that the salmon (12½ oz) is skinless and boneless, then cut it into cubes. Finely zest the unwaxed lemons (2), avoiding the white pith, and keep the zest for serving. Put the salmon in a bowl and cover with the juice of one lemon. Keep the second zested lemon for step 4; no long marinating time is required.

   Uses 12½ oz cubed salmon · 2 unwaxed lemons, juice used separately and zest kept for serving

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Finely chop the half onion. Melt the butter (⅓ oz) with the two tablespoons olive oil in a deep sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 6–8 minutes until translucent.

   Soften chopped onion · 8 minUses ⅓ oz butter · 2 tbsp olive oil · ½ onion, chopped

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Add the lemon-coated salmon from step 1 to the softened onion. Season lightly with salmon salt and cook for 1–2 minutes, turning the cubes often.

   Uses Cubed salmon with juice of the first lemon from step 1 · Onion, butter and olive oil from step 2 · Salt to taste, for the salmon

4. 4

   Step 4: Increase the heat and squeeze the second zested lemon from step 1 into the pan. Let the lemon liquid reduce and the salmon become just cooked through, then take the pan off the heat.

   Uses Salmon and onion started in step 3 · Second lemon kept in step 1, for its juice

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it and cook the 12½ oz egg pasta according to its packet. Remove it just short of your preferred al dente texture because it will finish in the sauce. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water before draining.

   Uses Water for cooking the pasta · Salt for the pasta cooking water · 12½ oz egg pasta

6. 6

   Step 6: Blend half of the cooked salmon from step 4 with ½ cup of the cooking water reserved in step 5 until smooth. Add a little more of that same reserved water only if needed to blend; keep the remainder for the pasta pan.

   Uses Half of the cooked salmon from step 4 · ½ cup of the reserved 1 cup pasta water from step 5 · Extra from the same reserved cup only if needed to blend smoothly

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Pour the blended salmon sauce back into the pan with the remaining half of the cooked salmon cubes from step 4.

   Uses Smooth salmon and cooking-water sauce from step 6 · The unblended half of the cooked salmon from step 4

8. 8

   Step 8: Add the drained pasta to the salmon pan and toss over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until evenly coated. If it becomes dry, add only as much of the remaining reserved cooking water as needed.

   Finish pasta with salmon · 2 minUses Drained pasta from step 5 · Blended sauce with remaining cooked salmon from step 7 · Any cooking water left from the original reserved cup, only if needed

9. 9

   Step 9: Turn off the heat when the pasta is creamy. Season with freshly ground pepper, garnish with the lemon zest reserved in step 1 and serve immediately.

   Uses Finished pasta from step 8 · Pepper (to taste) · Lemon zest kept in step 1